


A Painting Worth Ruining

by cchiko11



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Everyone Loves Okumura Eiji, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:08:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23319616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cchiko11/pseuds/cchiko11
Summary: In a world where everyone longs for a reason to live, Ash seems to find his happiness in the form of a beautiful Japanese exchange student named Eiji Okumura. Ash's heart begins to fill with the raw emotions of youth as the boy drowning in sunlight takes his hand and pulls.
Relationships: Ash Lynx & Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 8
Kudos: 71





	1. Introduction

From the beginning, it was hard for Ash to feel. It felt as if somewhere in his past life, emotions came with a price, and the feeling of love, especially, was daunting and dangerous. It was a mystery how Ash came to be so numb and unfeeling. His adoptive family surrounded Ash with affection and had never made their son feel any less than loved and accepted. Max, Ash’s father, often pondered how he turned out this way and longed to see his son full of the vivacity and excitement of youth—of the raw emotions that seemed to overwhelm and suffocate such boys at his age.

  
More often than not, Max felt as if his son had lived and endured a thousand more lives than he had. Ash’s eyes were calm and knowing; as if he’d gone through the depths of hell and back just to be alive. It was slightly frightening and intimidated Max more than he liked to admit, but it filled him with a deep sadness nonetheless. He would give anything to see Ash smiling without a care in the world—to see his wariness of life crumble away and reveal a boy who found it hard to breathe but worth it to live.

  
Max smiled sadly. He was so moved by desire that he found himself falling to his knees, arms resting on the soft padding of his mattress as he clasped his hands together tightly. Max didn’t know if he believed there was a god out there to answer his prayers, but he couldn’t find it in him to stop the words that spilled out desperately.

  
“I just want him to feel. To be so swept up by life that he can only think of the present. Please help him to find happiness. To find love,” Max squeezed his hands together, feeling them tremble longingly. “It’s all I ask.”

  
That night, the wind blew uninterrupted. It was a night like any other in Ash’s monotonous life, and as he stared blankly up at the ceiling, Ash could feel the same inescapable wariness pressing down heavily against his very existence. As his eyes fluttered closed, he thought he would never be able to escape this feeling. This utter exhaustion towards simply living.

  
However, even if he’d come to forget it in the morning, Ash had slept soundly that night. He’d wielded a smile so soft and delicate that the world around him seemed to bask in his presence. The wind quieted and the world stilled. The day Ash’s heart would finally begin to stir had finally come.

* * *

Eiji was a quiet boy who fell easily into the background. He was beautiful in a way that left the entirety of one’s soul full of a pleasant warmth and soft serenity. It was as if he belonged in a painting; admired from afar but never to be disturbed. In essence, Okumura Eiji was someone people shied away from in fear of disrupting the natural beauty he radiated. As kind and warm as he was, Eiji was full of a pureness that intimidated people.

  
It was Eiji’s first day in an entirely new school, in an entirely new country. His father had decided that Eiji needed a change of scenery; a new environment where he could flourish and be loved instead of remaining as the lonesome subject of an aging painting. What better place to be than America? Unlike the suffocating society of Japan, people were bound to barge their way into his life. It was what he needed.

  
Needless to say, Eiji was terrified. As he stood at the front of the classroom so much larger than those back in Japan, he trembled. He realized he’d never seen so many different colors of hair and eyes as they all zeroed in on his shaking form. Eiji barely caught the words of his teacher, a Mr. Dickinson, as he smiled kindly and addressed the class. “Before we start the lesson today, I’d like to introduce our new exchange student from Japan, Eiji Okumura. He comes from a completely different part of the world, so I hope you all will treat him well and help him if he ever needs it.” Mr. Dickinson smiled down at Eiji once more with a reassuring expression.

  
“I know it might be overwhelming, but the people here are wonderful,” he said softly. Eiji didn’t know how to feel. Their acceptance would mean nothing if Eiji couldn’t break away from the feeling that he’d never be more than an outsider. “Ash, do you think you can help him settle in?” Eiji scanned the sea of students, locking gazes with a boy with striking blond hair and bright green eyes as he nodded his head in agreement. “Great! You can go sit beside him, then!” The teacher clapped his hands together loudly with a wide grin, and Eiji flinched in surprise. He wondered if all the teachers in America were this enthusiastic. Grasping the strap of his backpack, Eiji awkwardly made his way towards the blonde, completely oblivious to the jade eyes that had never left his figure since he entered the room.  
Eiji sighed softly, dropping his bag to his feet and folding his arms across his desk so he could lay his head down and comfortably stare out the window. Even the sky seemed a world away from Japan. A torrent of sadness and longing overtook him as his soul began to feel weighed down by an overwhelming feeling of homesickness. “A blank slate, huh?”

* * *

Ash was clueless as to what came over him, but he found that he couldn’t take his eyes off the new Japanese student. There was something about him that drew all his attention. To Ash, the two were so different. Compared to his own striking existence that demanded attention, Eiji was like a soft lull; a magnetic pull that was warm and irresistible. He stared mindlessly as the Japanese boy sat down, head plopped gently on his arms and staring absently out the window. Ash thought that the sight was beautiful. The warm, golden glow of the sun pooled on the black of Eiji’s hair, revealing that it was perhaps not so black at all, but a dark and rich brown. It was as if he was a painting—one that Ash gazed at from afar but did not wish to disturb. Somewhere amidst that beauty, though, Ash felt that the scene was terribly heartbreaking. As if there was nothing more than the boy swimming in sunlight. _What a lonely sight._


	2. Chapter 1

As the bell rang, Eiji silently watched the students file out of the classroom until the only ones left were himself and his guide, Ash. They packed up their things as well, neither of them making an effort to talk. Ash watched as Eiji’s eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed in concentration. He found it cute how someone could be so focused on the simple task of putting their belongings away in a bag. 

“What’s it like?” Ash found himself asking despite himself. “Japan, I mean.” His own words had surprised him. To Ash who rarely communicated with people he didn’t know, this sudden behavior bewildered him. And yet, as Eiji’s coral-pink lips blossomed into a beautiful smile, Ash felt the embarrassment fade away into mild eagerness.

“Japan, huh?” Eiji’s smile turned sad. Wringing his fingers together in front of him, his passionate gaze met with Ash’s own intense stare, catching Eiji by surprise. His cheeks began to heat up and flush a pretty pink. Why was he staring at him like that! 

“Uh…” Ash covered his mouth. His heart began to beat wildly. _Even his ears are red…how cute can this boy be? I feel like my heart is about to explode!_

Eiji coughed in embarrassment. “J-Japan? Japan is…it’s really…beautiful. Especially around this time of year. The leaves turn a wonderfully vibrant color and the sky is especially clear. The red of the trees are so bright and lovely—it’s my favorite season!” Eiji’s innocent expression softened, eyes deepening in thought. “I wish I could be there right now, but you know…” His sentence faded, carrying a certain tinge of sadness that felt difficult to comfort. 

The look of pure grief rooted itself into Eiji’s dark eyes and made Ash at a loss for words. He thought about how easy it was to read the Japanese boy’s emotions—to simply watch the small quirk of his lips and discover the thoughts that riddled his mind. Could Ash be like that one day? Filled to the brim with feelings so raw that they toppled over one another and left themselves exposed for all the world to see? He didn’t know if the thought was all that appealing. 

“You’ll be back,” Ash promised, voice soft and soothing. “You’ll be back before you know it.” A small pause resounded as he thought of ways that would bring the smile back to Eiji’s lips. 

“You’re lucky, you know. I would love to go to Japan one day, but I don’t know anyone to take me.”

The words seemed to be enough to break Eiji out of his silent reverie. Letting out a goofy grin, he threw his arms into the air in excitement. “Don’t worry, Ash! You know _me_ now, and I would love to take you to Japan! You should come back with me when I go.” The slight accent that clung to his English as he spoke in rapid excitement was so incredibly endearing to Ash that he couldn’t help but laugh. It was a beautiful sound. 

“Sure, Eiji,” he replied fondly, “but I’d love to get to know you better before I have to room with you in a foreign country. What if you’re some creep who targets pretty boys with green eyes? I don’t want to be invited to your home only to die.” The joke was in good taste, he found, as Eiji laughed humorously in response. A teasing smile made its way onto his lips as he tilted his head mischievously. “Don’t be silly, Ash. You don’t have to have green eyes! As long as you’re pretty, that should be enough.” 

“Oh, really? You’re calling me pretty then?” Ash asked with a smirk, tipping his chair dangerously close to the cute Japanese boy as he blushed and let out an exclamation of denial. “Eh! I never said that, you narcissist!” He huffed indignantly, arms crossed against his chest. Ash’s smirk turned into a cheeky smile. “But you implied it, Eiji! You said I only need to be pretty to be invited to your house.” He leaned even closer. “And guess what? You invited me over.”

Ash was childish with glee, the desire to tease the exchange student magnifying rapidly. With how close they were, he could see clearly as the redness of his cheeks turned darker and darker in embarrassment. The color reminded him of Eiji’s description of the autumn leaves in Japan. Vibrant, bright, and lovely. As Eiji opened his mouth to speak, a loud bang had them both flinging away from each other in shock. 

“Whoa, Ash! Am I interrupting something here?” A sly voice exclaimed, laden with mischief. The boy in question felt himself glare in irritation. “What the hell, Shorter! Do you always go swinging doors open like that?” 

Eiji stared at the intruder with wide eyes. In Japan, the stranger’s bright purple hair and bold piercings would surely cause the teachers to have a stroke. Not to mention the fact that he was wearing sunglasses _indoors_. Eiji was in awe. Such an attention-drawing character was allowed to roam this school without any consequence? America really was full of freedom!

“Who is this?” The boy—Shorter—asked, approaching them curiously. Eiji offered a nervous smile before bowing politely out of habit. “Hello! My name is Eiji Okumura. I just transferred here from Japan.” Shorter glanced knowingly from the boy to his best friend and smiled. He threw his arm over Eiji’s shoulder, laughing merrily. “Nice to meet you, dude! My name is Shorter Wong, and boy do I have a feeling we’re going to be _extremely_ good friends from now on.”

Ash narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Shorter’s tone was way too full of shit for his liking. Catching the blonde’s glare, Shorter simply smirked. _Who knew our little Ash could smile like that? The boys would never believe me!_ He felt himself go giddy with excitement at the sudden development. 

“Well I hate to break up this little get-together, but I’m afraid break’s almost over.” Shorter looked from one boy to the other, crossing his arms with a shit-eating grin. His eyes then landed solely on the small Japanese boy. “Come on, Eiji—time to get to your next class. Here, let me see your schedule.” The paper was handed over obediently. 

“Seems like we have a lot of classes together! I’ll walk with you,” Shorter happily announced. Eiji seemed relieved as he smiled gratefully. “We’ll see you later, Ash! I’ll drag him to lunch with me and meet up with you.” The purple-haired boy excitedly pulled Eiji’s arm as they flew towards the door. Eiji’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden movement, quickly turning his head and raising his other hand awkwardly towards Ash to wave goodbye. “See you later!” He repeated with a happy smile. Ash smiled back in response and mimicked his cute wave, oblivious to Shorter who watched the exchange with a mysterious glint in his eyes. 

* * *

As Shorter weaved through the sea of students with Eiji close behind, they made it to the classroom with a few minutes to spare. Shorter smiled. “You can sit next to me. The seat’s empty.” They both sat down as others spilled in, having a substantial amount of time to just sit and talk. Shorter eyed the boy as he spoke excitedly. _He’s very cute,_ Shorter thought to himself. _I can see why our ice prince is so smitten._

“So what do you think about Ash!” Shorter asked, his hidden agenda finally revealing itself. Eiji smiled innocently. “Ash? He’s such a nice person! Very funny, too. I would like to be good friends with him.” Without shame, Eiji complimented the other with sincerity, and Shorter found himself liking the kid very much. The Chinese boy smirked mischievously. “You think he’s pretty, too? I heard you guys talking in class.”

Eiji jumped up in surprise. “What! No! I never said that! I-I mean, I don’t think he’s _ugly,_ of course—he’s actually really handsome! B-But I still never said that!” Shorter found it funny how flustered he was getting and laughed. The blush on his face really was quite pretty, and the Chinese boy secretly cursed his best friend for his stupid luck.

“Don’t worry,” Shorter replied teasingly. He winked and brought his index finger to his lips. “I’ll keep it a secret from the ice prince.” Eiji huffed, smacking his palm against his forehead in exasperation. “Stop teasing me! You Americans are so mean!” Eiji glared through his fingers and made Shorter laugh even more. Before he could retort again, however, the bell rang and class began. Shorter watched as Eiji calmed down and faced forward with a slight pout to his lips. He smiled fondly, eyes training in on the teacher as well. Really, that blonde was far too lucky in life. 

* * *

The next two periods passed by quickly, and Eiji was lucky to find that Shorter shared the classes with him. The Chinese boy was very popular, he found, as Eiji was introduced to a large multitude of people. They were all eager to know him and asked a lot of questions about why he’d moved and what it was like back in Japan. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t a bit overwhelmed. In his old school, Eiji was always alone. His classmates treated him nicely, often leaving small snacks and drinks on his desk and offering small greetings, but no one really forced their way into his bubble. American people, in contrast, seemed to lack such tendencies. 

Many of the people he was introduced to ended up being nothing more than a blur in his memory. There was one boy, however, who seemed particularly memorable—a small Chinese student named Sing. He was a good friend of Shorter’s and seemed to look up to him admirably as an older brother. 

When Eiji had greeted him, he was surprised to find a light blush spread across Sing’s cheeks. Shorter got the hint immediately and jabbed him in the ribs. Leaning down to accommodate for their difference in height, Shorter whispered sharply in his ear, “Dude! Not this guy. I’m staking a claim on him for Ash!” 

Sing hissed in response, kicking at Shorter’s knees. “What the hell are you talking about, you fucking ass! Stop sticking your nose in other people’s business!” They shared a glare before turning to smile back at Eiji innocently. He was looking back and forth at the pair in confusion. 

“Come on, Eiji! Time for lunch,” Shorter said cheerily, blatantly ignoring his questioning glances. He looked back at Sing as if saying _don’t you dare follow us_ , but the other just grinned cheekily and tagged along like a disobedient puppy. They made eager pace through the halls, a light conversation filling the air. 

“The food here is absolute garbo,” Sing said with a crinkled nose. “I’d rather starve myself and snack on the shit from the vending machines than stomach this school’s mush.” Shorter couldn’t help but nod in agreement. 

“I brought a bento if you guys want some,” Eiji offered with a smile. “I always bring my lunch from home.” 

“That sounds great!” Shorter happily exclaimed. He looked to Sing who seemed a second away from bursting into tears. “An angel! I’ve been blessed with the presence of an angel,” he cried out, clinging to Eiji’s arm in happiness. Shorter glared, having half a mind to kick the parasite in the knees and rush away without him, but he thought better of it and opted for an annoyed scowl instead after pushing the leech away. 

Shorter led them outside, pushing them to a small table tucked away in the courtyard. It was easy to spot the bright yellow of his best friend's hair as the boy waited patiently for their arrival. “Ash!” Eiji called out, excitement bubbling in him as he hurried over. The blond seemed equally as content with their reunion as they both exchanged happy smiles.

“Hey, Okumura. How’s your day going so far?” Ash asked with a fond look. He exchanged brief nods with the other two boys surrounding Eiji, looking confused as to why Sing was there too. Shorter simply rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders in exasperation. 

“It was good! I’m glad to have someone to know in my first few classes. It’s been a huge help.” Eiji began to unpack his lunch, words tumbling out of his mouth as he recollected all the events that happened throughout the day. Sing looked happy to respond with just as much excitement, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Shorter shared a knowing look with Ash. It was nice to have someone there to fill the silence. Ash wasn’t much of a talker, and Shorter liked to be stimulated in a conversation. It was boring to talk alone, so he didn’t talk much either when it was just him and Ash.

“Here, try this,” Eiji implored, placing a neatly molded rice ball into Sing’s hands. He offered one to each of the other boys, too, watching as they looked at the food in wonder. “This is called onigiri! I made it myself. It’s just rice with some filling.” Taking one for himself, Eiji took a bite and hummed in satisfaction. The others followed suit, focusing on the flavors as the rice broke apart on their tongues. 

“It’s good!” Sing exclaimed happily. Ash and Shorter nodded in agreement, taking another bite. “These are bomb, dude. Much better than the crap this school calls food,” Shorter added. The responses made Eiji smile happily. His expression was so pure and bright that the boys couldn’t help but stare. Dipping down, Shorter whispered to Sing. “At this point, I really can’t blame you! How is he so pretty?!” Sing gulped and nodded in agreement. “I don’t know, man, but he’d definitely have Yut-Lung running for his money. I’d give anything to see the look on that guy’s face when he realizes someone like _this_ exists.” They shared a silent laugh. 

“I’ll bring you guys more food tomorrow, too! It’s nice to share Japanese culture,” Eiji admitted, "but I should go for now. I wanted to have a look around the school." He began to pack away his containers, shoving them back into his backpack and stretching his shoulders as he rose slowly. Ash quickly followed suit, drawn to his side. “Come on,” he called out, grasping the crook of his elbow, “I’ll show you the library. Lunch isn’t over for another forty minutes.” 

“Okay,” Eiji agreed. As Sing made a move to follow, Shorter yanked the boy back down and glared. It was obvious Ash wanted for them to be _alone_. After a quick wave goodbye, the duo walked away in a world of their own. Shorter and Sing stared after their retreating backs.

“You really think you can compete with that?” Shorter asked with a breathy laugh. “Look at them! It looks like they belong together.” 

Sing had no choice but to agree. Standing side by side, the two seemed to be opposites in all the right ways. They were so strikingly different that they complimented each other well. Eiji was dressed cutely in a pale pink sweater, the collars of a white shirt peeking out near the base of his neck. The outfit was complete with a pair of light-washed jeans, folded at the ankle, and giving off a soft and neat look. Ash, in contrast, had a dark green bomber jacket slipped over a grey hoodie, jeans black and ripped to give off a slightly intimidating vibe. They truly looked good together.

Sing threw his hands up in disbelief as he shouted, “What the fuck kind of shitty high school love story cliche is this?! I hate this place!” And Shorter could not agree more.

* * *

“It’s so peaceful in here,” Eiji whispered breathily, a small smile lighting up his face. The library was relatively empty. A few people were scattered here and there, hunched over books or school assignments, but the atmosphere remained cozy. 

Ash nodded in agreement, leading him to a small corner of the library where they couldn’t be seen. “If you ever want to be alone or something, you can always sneak away here.” A pause. “Or _we_ can sneak away here.” 

Eiji’s cheeks grew hot again as he averted his gaze from the pair of intense jade orbs that seemed to trail him. “Y-Yeah. That would be great.” Ash simply smirked.

“Do you like reading?” Eiji asked, quick to change the subject. 

“Yeah; it’s nice.”

“I like reading, too,” Eiji confessed. “It’s all I could do back in Japan besides studying and going to practice.”

“Practice?”

Eiji paused. “I used to be a pole-vaulter. Had a bright future, everyone said.” He frowned after a moment as Ash asked, “Had?”

He nodded. “Had. I slipped up one day—a nasty fall that led to an even nastier injury. Couldn’t get back on my feet ever since.”

They both sat in silence, Ash’s mind filling with too much to say at once. A few seconds passed before he could speak again. “I would’ve loved to see you fly. I bet you were amazing.” He could imagine it. The small Japanese boy soaring high, looking as free as a bird.

“Maybe I’ll show you one day,” Eiji offered optimistically, but Ash could tell from the tone of his voice that he didn’t believe it himself. 

“Maybe.” 

They fell into a comfortable silence, seated shoulder to shoulder as they were content to listen to the soft sounds of their surroundings. Ash had never felt so at peace before. It was nice to share this with someone—almost felt intimate. Glancing down at his watch, he saw that they still had thirty minutes left. Ash suddenly remembered his responsibilities as a guide and thought about the other places he should take the exchange student to. As he turned to share the thought with his companion, however, he found the boy to be fast asleep, head hovering at an awkward and uncomfortable angle. Ash laughed quietly, deciding that the tour could wait.He stretched out his hands to pull Eiji’s head onto his shoulder and into a more comfortable position. The mess of dark brown locks were soft beneath his palm, and Ash found himself fighting the urge to run his fingers through them affectionately. 

With a smile and a promise to wake him up later, Ash whispered, “Sweet dreams, Okumura.” 


End file.
